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Following the latest cost hike for Game Pass Ultimate, the earlier commotion has subsided. While it may not be considered the top deal in gaming anymore, the service has introduced several high-profile launch day games recently, including Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2. These additions further enrich a vast library of hundreds games ideal for weekend-long marathon sessions.

Our current picks include a therapeutic action game, an prize-winning indie gem, and a must-play HD-2D RPG.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

Every so often, we all require a bit of catharsis. For 20 years, the Sniper Elite franchise has provided precisely that. Rebellion Developments' enduring shooter line offers players intensely graphic carnage targeting enemy forces. Recently, the studio released Sniper Elite: Resistance, a timely new entry to the franchise. Although it doesn't reinvent the formula, Resistance is a polished dose of simulation World War II open environments packed with enemy objectives. The sniping is as visceral and satisfying as ever, featuring the game's signature killcam showing each shot's effect in graphic, explicit detail. It's a bloody excitement for every peace-lover looking to unwind in the safety of a digital world.

1000xResist

1000xResist tells an award-winning narrative touching on post-pandemic existence, family trauma, and much more. It approaches these themes through a sci-fi perspective; you assume the role of Watcher, one of multiple clones of Iris, the sole person left of a pandemic that wiped out human life. Watcher and her fellow clones delve into Iris's memories from the time Earth was ravaged by that horrific plague, along with memories of her school and family life, neither of which were bearable for a teenager. Watcher learns Iris isn't all that she seems, and the story unfolds from there. Should all that mystery fails to hook you, the game does begin with a murder. What could be a more compelling start than this?

Octopath Traveler II

Yes, finishing a gazillion-hour RPG in just nine days is a tall order, but if there's any game deserving attempting the grind for, it's Octopath Traveler 2. Square Enix's HD-2D gem is leaving Game Pass at the end of November (along with the original game, also available). However, with a break in the middle, at least for those in the States, it's theoretically doable. Octopath Traveler 2 features eight characters, every one embodying a distinct genre. There's a procedural story about a cleric looking into the death of his cathedral's archbishop. A trader striving to eradicate destitution through the force of commerce headlines a western-themed narrative. There's even a mystery about an apothecary with amnesia (because all great RPGs need a character with an mysterious past, of course). A few of these stories connect in unexpected, fascinating ways, as you play through a gorgeous 19th-century inspired setting. And the battle system is excellent — stat-focused gameplay distilled to its essence.